SCAF member rejects referring military cases to civilian courts

By-Almasry Alyoum

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00:04

Wednesday ,18 April 2012

A member of the ruling military council on Tuesday rejected suggestions that military judiciary cases be transferred to civilian courts, describing the demand as an infringement on the jurisdiction of military courts.

“Military tribunals have been recognized by earlier Egyptian constitutions,” General Mamdouh Shahin said during a Parliament session on Tuesday that discussed a bill to amend the law on the military judiciary.

Shahin argued that Parliament has already amended the military judiciary law to allow citizens the right of appeal.

The general told members of Parliament that the SCAF is mulling the cancellation of Article 6 of the military judiciary law, which grants the country’s president the authority to refer civilians to military tribunals.

“We, however, preferred to wait until the Parliament was elected so as to discuss it with MPs,” he said.